Dig In!

I’ll admit it, there’s more to life in the Pacific Northwest than bikes and coffee.  We love our apples, too. Most varieties grow really well here, so we’re accustomed to biting into some of the freshest and tastiest apples anywhere. We’re actually a bit persnickity about 'em; some might call us downright snobs. Our buddies up in Washington state produce over half of the apples in the U.S., and in Oregon we don’t do so badly ourselves. With all the great choices and availability, we won’t settle for an apple that’s the least bit mealy or pithy. And please, don’t even bother with apples that don’t zing your taste buds at least a little. Unnecessary, and, yuck.

Unless you’ve got apple trees of your own, you have to figure out how to separate the good apples from the great ones. In this neck of the woods, buying apples at the supermarket is okay if you are in a real hurry. The best way to dig into a fresh, local, blow-your-mind apple is to get out to some of the better produce stands and farm stores.  As a matter of fact, today is the perfect day to go. I was just there myself.

Here’s a shout-out to our friends in Minnesota, who came up with my favorite variety of apple yet. Better than Fuji, even better than Braeburn.  I was snooping around online and learned (because you really can believe everything you read on the internet, right?) that back in the 60’s some apple experts at the University of Minnesota crossed the Macoun and Honeygold. Twelve years later, voila, the Honeycrisp was born. This apple has a snap when you bite it, followed by a rush of sweet juices, and then...wait for 5 seconds...zap! It finishes with a tangy burst of flavor that gets you right in the gills.

Before today's big game or halloween festivity, take a little ride or drive out to the edge of town. Find a good produce store and treat yourself to a moment of perfection.  It’s apple time.

The Leaves

Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn.  
~Elizabeth Lawrence




If you're sitting on a bike, you'll get to see more leaves.
~Kelly Carlisle

Moss-taken Identity

As a fellow cyclist, I’m concerned.

Maybe you heard this news story yesterday about the bloke up in Hillsboro Oregon, caught wearing a moss suit outside a museum of precious gemstones and minerals. Officials claim he’s responsible for cutting a hole into the wall of the museum. A few days later he was spotted outside. The police dog apprehended him without chase (or bark). They allege that he planned to burglarize the place, and carry the loot away on his bicycle stashed on the grounds.

The “moss man” has an alibi: this was a halloween suit given to him by his kids.  

Clearly, he was just hanging outside at the gemstone museum, trying to be a fun guy.

Sounds sort of slippery, doesn’t it?

Hmmm...man in moss suit, riding a bike, precious gems...this just doesn’t add up. We all know that a rolling moss gathers no stones.

So, what can we liken this to? I’m stumped.

At any rate, next month the moss man will find out his fate with the judge. I’m going out on a limb to say that we need to do something for this poor mosstaken cyclist. We need to build awareness of this case, and maybe help with a little bit of a defense fund.  The cycling community is good at this political grass roots stuff, right?

That’s why I propose an event...Critical Moss.  That’s right.  On Halloween evening, I we should all don our moss suits (you all have one, too, right?) and hang together. The more I think about this, the more I’m likin’ it. 

It’s growing on you, too, right?

Hang in there, moss man. Help is on the way.

All For Knot

I've had a knotty problem lately...it's my shoelaces. They don't like to stay tied when I'm running. I tie them snugly before I leave the house, but eventually they work themselves loose. I stop my run, re-tie them, get my not-so-svelt frame chugging forward again, and run awhile longer until the problem repeats itself. Uff da. 

I found an interesting video on the Runner's World website. So-o-o...I'm going to give this a try...that is, if I can un-learn the way I’ve tied my shoes for the past 45 years. I'll keep you in the loop on how it goes.

Read My Jersey

Cyclists, if you're having a hard time getting distracted drivers to pay attention and share the road with you, here's an idea: wear your message in big, bold letters. And on the front side, go mirror-friendly. Brevity matters when all you have is seconds to communicate! Thanks to my friend Toe-knee who found this website.

A Comeback In The Making

I got a call from Steve-O this week.  There was an energy, a spark in his voice, the kind I haven’t heard in months.  I was half expecting him to tell me he was pain-free, back on the bike, and putting on the miles again. Well, not exactly...but there’s hope.

Steve-O, in case you’re kind of new here, is a good friend who lives up near Portland. We were neighbors for years, had discovered a common interest in cycling, and we sort of “clicked” as riding buddies. I’ve since moved to Salem, but we’ve stayed in touch and kept finding ways to ride together. Over the years we’ve begun to accumulate some good stories on our bikes, the kind we’ll repeat and embellish for years.  Usually, I’m the perpetrator of some kind of hardship during a ride, and he just sort of tolerates me. He’s a way better rider than me, something he never would admit to, but it’s true.

It was a rough summer for Steve-O. He was preparing for some double-century rides, and racking up some good distances every day...up until the day in June when his front wheel sunk into the groove of a trolley track, which sent him over the handlebars and onto the asphalt--hard. He separated his shoulder which is no longer a problem.  The fall aggravated a hip problem which has sidelined him ever since. That’s the problem.

Months have gone by with virtually no letup from the pain in his hip. It’s been so bad he’s not been able to ride--at all--since June. Cycling is an activity that he loves, and he’s really good at it. This guy’s stayed in awesome shape, is an animal on hills, a great collector of bike stories, and always up for a new adventure. To know how badly he wants to ride but can’t is, well, simply not acceptable.  That’s why it was so great to hear him say he’s got a plan: a new hip.

A hip replacement sounds ominous, but these days, the results are pretty consistently amazing. Apparently the surgery won’t happen for a while yet, and getting back to riding condition will take months, he says. The point is, he’s already begun his comeback. You can hear it in his voice.

A City That Asks The Right Questions

I’m impressed. The City of Salem is reaching out to cyclists and pedestrians with a survey regarding challenges and opportunities for improving bikeways and walkways. The survey takes about 15-20 minutes to complete, and is available to residents and non-residents alike, until November 21.

When you've completed the survey, you'll be encouraged to use an interactive city map where you can pinpoint and describe spots around town that are problematic. I've got some places in mind...I bet you do, too! The city's website continues to provide regular updates to improvements being made for cyclists and pedestrians.

Keep in mind that in April 2010, Bicycling Magazine ranked the Cherry City 19th among bike-friendly U.S. cities. This was accomplished in part by the amount of roadways in town that accommodate bikes. We all know that there's still a lot of work to make this town more efficient for non-vehicular transportation. Clearly, the City is reaching out in an effort to inform and be informed. Bicycling also gave high rankings to Portland (#2) and Eugene (#5) for similar commitments. Among small towns, Corvallis made the top 5 in the U.S. Undoubtedly, Oregon's cities have distinguished themselves in the cycling world! 

Gathering and disseminating information is always tricky for public entities; the City of Salem hit a home run with the ways they are using technology to accomplish this. All of us who care about walking and riding ought to take a few minutes to share what’s on our minds to make this town even better. They're asking, so let's tell 'em!

What Will They Think Of Next?

While exploring the edges of the internet, I discovered this really cool retro website. You can peek back a few decades and see the things that were innovative for their time. Some pretty crazy inventions, and some others you will recognize. Clearly, this particular idea took!

By the way, this is a good time for those of us who ride to take an inventory of our lights, flashers, and reflectors. Do a test run in the dark and have somebody see how well you show up.  Front, back, and sides. You want a bright headlight that keeps you from bumping into things, and makes you visible to oncoming traffic. Lots of folks are using a helmet-mounted setup, which helps to keep your handlebars free.You need red flashers behind you, and plenty of reflection all around so that folks in cars can see you from a distance.  With less daylight, as well as the upcoming change in weather, it’s time to shine!

One must be out-of-doors 

enough to get experience of wholesome reality, 

as a ballast to thought and sentiment.  

Health requires this relaxation, this aimless life.  

Henry David Thoreau, 1852

Ankeny Wildlife Refuge

Best Breakfast: Word Of Mouth Bistro

People have their favorite spots to go for breakfast. I’ve found mine...Word Of Mouth Bistro in Salem. Three reasons:

1. In addition to their popular egg dishes, there’s also several choices for folks like me, who need egg-free options. Try their hash...shut. up.
2. I dare you to act nonchalant when you see the size of the toast they bring you.
3. The coffee.  They serve Tico’s, which is roasted in nearby Stayton and is some of the best I’ve ever had.

Plan on waiting for a table; bring a newspaper or just strike up a conversation with somebody else in line.

If there are any other spots in Salem with breakfasts this good, I don’t know about them. So for now, this one’s tops.

Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway: Champoeg to Salem

Finding the time for cycling can be a challenge, especially when you want to take a long ride. I happen to have the most understanding spouse in the world when it comes to ride time, but I try not to push it too often.  Today, all the stars aligned.  Mrs. C and Nat went up north to Washington Square for some shopping, so I hitched a ride with them and then rode back home on my bike.  Fifty-eight miles of pedaling bliss!

I’ve not met anybody who likes riding on busy roadways. Sharing 99W with casino and winery traffic is definitely not my favorite. I just don’t know the area around Tigard and Tualatin well enough to have other route options, so I went for it.  It was a nice surprise to find big, wide bike lanes and shoulders and a long stretch of brand new asphalt. Smooth, baby... Still, I was relieved when after 20 miles I finally got to Newberg and could head south toward Woodburn on some quieter road.

Rider-friendly roads!

I prefer riding on quiet country roads (shock, right?) The Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway  starts at Champoeg Park and goes for like gazillions of miles down through the valley. It’s a real treasure for us cyclists. Solitude and scenery...is that so much to ask? With this route, there’s usually not a bike lane or shoulder to ride on, but it really doesn’t matter because there’s nobody else on the road. Literally, you can pedal for 5 minutes or more without seeing a single car in either direction!

This route is not very direct, but it intentionally places you right into the rhythm of the agriculture here.  Riding past the farms, dairies, orchards, nurseries, and hop yards is a much more personal encounter with the land than driving in a car. Today, workers were busy in the fields and hazelnut orchards; trucks full of produce rumbled out onto the road, headed for town.

This stretch from Champoeg to Salem has very few hills, other than the occasional ravines carved out by the system of creeks that wind through this area. Out along the open fields, you can see the Cascade foothills thirty miles to the east, and the Coast Range twenty miles to the west.

Near Champoeg Park

There are signs everywhere that autumn has begun...Canada Geese are flying overhead in their formations, more leaves are littering the roadway, Woolly Bear caterpillars are making their annual appearance, and shadows are growing longer each day. You feel a good 10-degree drop when you ride through the shade of a grove of old trees. In those shady pockets, the damp air feels downright cold.

A “dust devil” snuck up on me just outside of Brooks. It whipped along in the field across the road, then it vanished, then I was in the middle of it, and then it was gone.  Weird how those cross winds push you--hard--in both directions so quickly.  My technical strategy worked: hold on and try not to fall over.

A weather system is pushing in from the ocean tonight, bringing a whole weekend of solid rain. Today was definitely the right day to take that ride!

Words In The Clouds

Yesterday I learned a new term: "Wordle." This website lets you create your own wordle--basically a word cloud--in about 20 seconds. You can take any body of text, or just plug in your favorite web address, and it will create a wordle based on words most frequently used. There's a lot of creativity allowed on colors, font, shapes, etc. Cool, eh? 

Anyway, here's what happened when I plugged in my own blog address. Clearly, I'm not talking enough about coffee...but I seem to really dig air and trees. Hmm.


Enjoy!

Cyclocross

Nat and I were up in Stumptown yesterday, and among other things we did there, we joined a throng of spectators at the Cross Crusade event at Alpenrose.  

Remember riding your bike as a kid? Endless hours in the vacant lot down the street...mud and grass stains on the knees of your jeans, a band-aid on each elbow, and a ramp that you and your friends made out of scrapwood you found somewhere. Yeah, well, that kind of riding grew up, bigtime. But the fun didn't go away. It’s turned into its own kind of sport, and it’s popularity growing faster than facebook at a middle school. There are so many challenges, obstacles, and technical aspects to this kind of racing, it’s highly interactive. Being there to watch, you could quickly see why this sport is so wildly popular with people who have always loved their bikes.  

The pictures don't show it so well, but there were over 1,700 riders and about as many spectators there yesterday. Vendors, bike mechanics, and various other dudes and dudettes were there just to be a part of the scene.  We only knew one person there. Beth is the rider on the right in the lower picture, and is a long-time friend of mine (we were both part of the PSU music scene in the 80’s). It was fun to cheer her on.

Nat really seemed to enjoy being able to stand so close to the riders on the course, seeing their faces as they hammered by.  When we finally headed back to the car, her comment was: “...so much spandex...”  

I resemble that remark.

In This Neck Of The Woods

Mrs. C asked me what I wanted for my birthday Saturday. I asked for a day hike, and by golly, I got it!  We took Nat and her friend Annabanana on a hike that felt like we’d walked right into a photograph in a coffee-table book.  It was a stunning day for a hike!

We headed out of town on Highway 22, then north on North Fork Road for about a half hour to reach our trailhead destination. I was sort of hoping to get a little shot of autumn colors on this trip. We certainly got that while we were our driving: large yellow maple leaves fell by the dozens, twisting mid-air and catching the sunlight that broke through from above. The interplay of light and shadow, plus the movement of falling leaves, was almost too vivid, too much for the eyes to take in all at once.

Paved road changed abruptly to washboard gravel road, then a one-way bridge, then more miles of gravel. We were in the middle of the Opal Creek Wilderness, part of the Willamette National Forest. This area is well known for its mountains, old growth forests, and pristine waters...just what we were hoping for on our hike. With a little patience we finally found our way to the Little North Santiam Trailhead , and within minutes we were hiking alongside the river that bears the same name.

Not more than a minute onto the trail, we had entered into the midst of giants. This ancient stand of Douglas Firs had a quieting effect on us as we walked through it. The trunks of these mammoth trees stood far apart from each other, some with awe-inspiring diameters. Few other trees could compete for space here. It was like being in a large open room with the trees standing as pillars, their crowns high above made our roof. As our hike went on, more sunlight had found its way through the canopy, turning leaves into light bulbs. Long moss hung off of low limbs, with ferns and rhododendrons interspersed between the trees.

The air.  Put this on your bucket list, please: to fill your nostrils with the clean, sweet air of a forest in the Pacific Northwest. You need to know the feeling of pulling this clear forest air down into your lungs. Breathing here becomes an almost sensory experience. The cedar and fir add a sweetness to the air will stay in your memory for a good long time afterward.

As we walked, I recalled learning that this forest was destined to be cut down for timber sales. It would have been very profitable I'm sure. Just before the chain saws started up, some folks objected and the fight was on. A contentious political battle ensued for over twenty years. It was finally resolved in 1996 when Mark Hatfield, in one of his last official duties as a senator for Oregon, helped to pass legislation that designated this a wilderness area. To Senator Hatfield and all who aided in preserving this amazing natural resource for generations to come, thank you. Your efforts were well worth the sacrifices, and will be appreciated for generations.

We have so many treasures like this in Oregon. I’m a little embarrassed that I’ve not enjoyed them more than I have. I’d better get more of these local destination spots onto my own bucket list. Birthday hikes alone aren't going to get the job done.

Morning Commute